1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shield connector provided at an end portion of a shield wire and installed in a through hole, which is formed in a mating shield wall, and to a manufacturing method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of such a kind of conventional shield connector printed in JP-A-11-26093 has a straight cylindrical housing 1 that accommodates a rubber ring 2, a holding ring 3, an electrically conductive sleeve 4, and a pressure ring 5, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Further, this shield connector is configured so that a conductive contact piece 6 is disposed on the front outer circumferential surface of the housing 1. Moreover, the housing 1 is attached to the sleeve 4 in such way as to cover an end portion of a shield wire 10. A front-side part, which is farther forward than a flange, of the housing 1 is fitted into a through hole formed in a mating shield wall. Furthermore, apart of the flange is screwed to the mating shield wall by bolts (not shown).
Meanwhile, sometimes, a shield wire should be installed in such a manner as to extend in parallel with the mating shield wall owing to limitations of space. However, the aforementioned conventional shield connector cannot have a structure that enables such installing of shield wires. Conversely, for example, when the cylindrical housing 1 is simply bent like a letter L and further, a shield wire in the housing, the size of the entire shield connector increases due to limitations of an allowable bending radius.
Further, the conventional shield connector has no less than six fundamental components (indicated by the characters 1 to 6). Thus, as is seen from FIG. 9, the conventional shield connector has a very large number of components that include small ones in addition to the six fundamental ones. Therefore, even when the configuration of the conventional shield connector is simply modified, the size thereof increases.
The invention is accomplished in view of the aforementioned circumstances. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a shield connector enabled to install a shield wire in such a way as to extend in parallel with the mating shield wall, and also enabled to be miniaturized.
To achieve the foregoing object, according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a shield connector (hereunder referred to as a first shield connector), which is adapted so that a base-side portion of a terminal fitting press-attached to a conductor of a shield wire is accommodated in a housing covering an end portion of the shield wire, and which is provided in a through hole formed in a mating shield wall so that a shield layer of the shield wire is electrically conducted and connected to said mating shield wall, and that a conductor of the shield wire is maintained in a condition where a tip-side portion of the terminal fitting is plunged into the mating shield wall. This shield connector comprises a flat plate portion formed in such a way as to continuously extend from the portion, which is press-attached to the conductor, of the fitting. Further, the entirety of the terminal fitting is L-shaped by bending the flat plate portion. The shield connector further comprises an insulating member that is adapted to cover a part, which extends from the base-side portion to a place near to the tip-side portion, of the terminal fitting, and a shield member that is provided in the housing and adapted to cover an outer surface of the insulating member covering the terminal fitting. In the shield connector, an end of the shield member is continuously connected or electrically conducted to the shield layer of the shield wire, while the other end thereof is disposed at a portion, which abuts against the mating shield wall, of said housing.
In an embodiment (hereunder referred to as a second shield connector) of the first shield connector of the invention, the insulating member covering the terminal fitting is constituted by a heat-contractive insulating tube or by applying a molten insulating resin onto the terminal fitting.
In an embodiment (hereunder referred to as a third shield connector) of the first or second shield connector of the invention, the housing is formed by filling a resin-forming mold, into which the shield wire is inserted, with a synthetic resin.
In an embodiment (hereunder referred to as a fourth shield connector) of the third shield connector of the invention, an electrically conducting flange produced by forming a terminal insertion hole in an electrically conducting member in such a manner as to penetrate therethrough is disposed in the mold together with the shield wire. Moreover, the terminal fitting is inserted into the terminal through hole in such a way as to penetrate therethrough. Furthermore, one of the ends of the shield member is connected to the electrically conducting flange. Further, the housing is formed by the synthetic resin filled in the mold.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a shield connector (hereunder referred to as a fifth shield connector), which is adapted so that a base-side portion of a terminal fitting press-attached to a conductor of a shield wire is accommodated in a housing covering an end portion of the shield wire, and which is provided in a through hole formed in a mating shield wall so that a shield layer of the shield wire is electrically conducted and connected to the mating shield wall, and that a conductor of the shield wire is maintained in a condition where a tip-side portion of the terminal fitting is plunged into the mating shield wall. In this shield connector, the entire terminal fitting is L-shaped by bending a flat plate portion of the fitting in such a way as to continuously extend from the portion, which is press-attached to the conductor, of the fitting in a direction orthogonal to the shield wire. Moreover, apart of the fitting, which extends from the base-side portion to the tip-side portion thereof, is covered with a heat-contractive insulating tube or by applying a molten insulating resin onto the terminal fitting.
The housing is formed like a letter L by an electrically conducting synthetic resin filled in a resin-forming mold, into which the shield wire is inserted, in a state, in which the shield layer is exposed, in such a manner as to be mated with the terminal fitting.
In an embodiment (hereunder referred to as a sixth shield connector) of the fifth shield connector of the invention, a metallic ring is press-attached to the exposed shield layer of the shield wire. Further, a plurality of protruding pieces are provided in the metallic ring in such a way as to project therefrom and extend sidewardly therefrom. Moreover, the housing is formed by filling a space provided around the metallic ring and the plurality of protruding pieces with an electrically conducting synthetic resin.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a shield connector (hereunder referred to as a seventh shield connector), which is adapted so that a base-side portion of a terminal fitting press-attached to a conductor of a shield wire is accommodated in a housing covering an end portion of said shield wire, and which is provided in a through hole formed in a mating shield wall so that a shield layer of the shield wire is electrically conducted and connected to the mating shield wall. This shield connector comprises a plate portion formed in such a way as to continuously extend from a first press-attaching portion, which is press-attached to the conductor, of the fitting. Further, the entirety of the terminal fitting is L-shaped by bending the plate portion. The shield connector further comprises an insulating member with which the terminal fitting is covered, a shield member adapted to cover an outer surface of the insulating member covering the terminal fitting and provided in the housing so that an end of the shield member is continuously connected or electrically conducted to the shield layer of the shield wire, while the other end thereof is disposed at a portion, which abuts against the mating shield wall, of said housing, and a second press-attaching portion, to which an interconnection wire is press-attached. Furthermore, the second press-attaching portion is placed in the housing and provided at an end portion, which is opposite to the first press-attaching portion, of the terminal fitting.
According to an embodiment (hereunder referred to as an eighth shield connector) of the first, second, third, fourth or seventh shield connector of the invention, a fixing member enabled to fix the shield member to the insulating member in a state, in which the shield member is closely attached thereto, is provided on an outside surface of the shield member covering the insulating member.
First Shield Connector
When the housing of the shield connector is attached to the mating shield wall, the terminal fitting press-attached to the conductor of the shield wire is plunged into the shield wall at a side of the housing. In contrast, at the other side of the housing, the shield wire extends in parallel with the mating shield wall. Incidentally, when the flat plate portion has a section, the area of which is equal to that of a section of a connector of a shield wire, the flat plate portion can be bent in a direction of width thereof with an allowable bending radius that is small as compared with that of the shield wire. Thus, the size of a bent portion is reduced. Consequently, the size of the entire shield connector is decreased.
Second Shield Connector
With the configuration of the second shield connector of the invention, the heat-contractive insulating tube is heated and closely attached to and covers the terminal fitting. Alternatively, the molten insulating resin is applied onto the terminal fitting, so that the insulating resin layer covers the terminal fitting. Thus, the terminal fitting and the shield member are electrically insulated from each other by a little space. Consequently, the miniaturization of the shield connector is achieved.
Incidentally, the molten insulating resin is applied onto the terminal fitting by performing, for example, what is called a dipping process of dipping the terminal fitting into the molten insulating resin.
Third Shield Connector
With the configuration of the third shield connector of the invention, the housing is an insert-molded product obtained by inserting the shield wire into the mold. Thus, the number of components of a shield connector is significantly reduced, as compared with the shield connector assembled in the conventional manner. Moreover, when the terminal fitting is covered with the heat-contractive insulating tube or with the insulating resin layer before insert-molding is performed, the shield member from touching the terminal fitting at a resin pressure at the time of press-molding.
Fourth Shield Connector
With the configuration of the fourth shield connector of the invention, the shield layer of the shield wire is electrically conducted and connected to the mating shield wall through the conducting flange and the shield member connected thereto when the electrically conducting flange is pressed against the opening edge of the through hole formed in the mating shield wall.
Fifth Shield Connector
With the configuration of the fifth shield connector, the housing is an insert-molded product obtained by inserting the shield wire into the mold. Thus, the fifth shield connector of the invention has the effect that the number of components is significantly reduced, in addition to the effects of the first shield connector. Moreover, the housing is formed from the electrically conducting resin layer and closely attached to the shield layer. Thus, the entire housing also serves as a shield member for covering the terminal fitting. Consequently, the number of components is reduced still more. Moreover, the miniaturization of the shield connector is achieved. Furthermore, because the terminal fitting is covered with the insulating tube or the insulating resin layer, the terminal fitting is reliably insulated from the housing.
Sixth Shield Connector
With the configuration of the sixth shield connector, the metallic ring is press-attached onto the shield layer. Thus, the ring and the shield layer are stably conducted and connected to each other. Further, in the sixth shield connector, a plurality of protruding pieces are provided on the metallic ring in such a way as to project therefrom. Thus, the contact area between the ring and the housing is large. Consequently, the ring and the housing are stably conducted and connected to each other. Consequently, the electrically conducting housing and the shield layer of the shield wire are stably conducted and connected to each other.
Seventh Shield Connector
When the housing of the seventh shield connector of the invention is attached to the mating shield wall, the interconnection wire press-attached to the second press-attaching portion of the terminal fitting is inserted into the shield wall at one end side of the housing. The shield wire press-attached to the first press-attaching portion extends inparallel with the mating shield wall. Incidentally, although the terminal fitting has the plate portion, which connects both the press-attaching portions to each other and is L-shaped, the plate portion can be bent in a direction of width thereof with an allowable bending radius that is small as compared with that of the shield wire, even in the case that the plate portion has a section, the area of which is equal to that of the conductor of the shield wire. Thus, the size of a bent portion is reduced. Consequently, the size of the entire shield connector is decreased.
Moreover, the interconnection wire inserted into the mating shield wall can be freely provided. For example, the interconnection wire can be bent like a letter xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d and extended in a direction parallel to the mating shield wall. This results in increase in flexibility in setting the position of a connection part, which is connected to the tip-side portion of the interconnection wire, in the mating shield. Consequently, the space required in the mating shield wall can be reduced.
Eighth Shield Connector
According to the eighth shield connector of the invention, the fixing member can fix the shield member to the insulating member in a state, in which the shield member is closely attached thereto. Consequently, the shield member can be prevented as much as possible from interfering with another member and being deformed and damaged when the shield member is manufactured.